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4 tips to acing your next Skype interview

There’s no escaping it, remote interviews are becoming more and more common for employers to conduct. That’s right, you can go through the pressures of an interview for that dream job all from within your living room. Remote interviews are becoming more and more common as it saves time for companies and also cuts out the expenses required from the job candidate to get to the interviews location.

Skype interviews are becoming increasingly more popular for employers when assessing a candidate’s way of handling themselves indeed the manners they present before inviting the candidate for a 1-1 face interview. Whether you are selected for a Skype interview, there are somethings to understand before that call comes through.

Prepare as you would for a face to face interview

Okay, this isn’t exactly an easy thing to do, as with face to face interviews you don’t need to be worried with a family member or friend walking in unannounced (which is a lot more awkward than you think when doing a Skype interview).

You would never go to an interview without having studied all the facts around the company from when they started, to that embarrassing photo you discovered of the person interviewing you at the 2014 Christmas party. It’s always best to be prepared with lots of knowledge and understanding about the company (and if possible, the person interviewing you). The same rules apply for a Skype interview. It’s important to research the company and the job, and be prepared to discuss any topic the interviewer may question you on. In addition, unlike with a face to face interview, you can have sticky notes posted around your computer or a few notes in front of you.

Choose the right place to sit your Skype interview

It is veryyyy unlikely that you will get to choose the time of your interview. However, whether your interview is via phone or Skype, you can choose the setting to speak with the person interviewing you. Try go for as business setting as you can (which can be difficult in your parents office/gym set up at home).

Skype interviews are not straightforward. There are a few things to take into consideration about your setting, before answering that call. First of all ensure you have a clean and organised background (so maybe not your bedroom), the more neutral the background the better. In addition, if you bought a computer that is as old as mankind or that’s prone to software issues, then your Skype call may be blurred or freeze in the middle of the interview, which is not good. So be sure to check for these issues in advance to your Skype interview and have a resolution in place.

Listen carefully and do not interrupt

One of the pitfalls of a Skype interview, is that the interviewer(s) and interviewee tend to speak over one another. It’s important to understand if there’s a noticeable lag in the interview, try not to interrupt the interviewer. If you do have something you want to say, be sure to have a notepad beside you and take a note of something you wish to mention. Especially during a phone interview. You want to demonstrate verbal signs or clues that you are actively listening. Also, it makes the interview more pleasant and it reassures the other party that the technology is functioning properly and you are indeed listening.

During a Skype interview or video call, nodding or make a facial gesture shows that you are engaged in the conversation. Avoid at all costs staring blankly at the screen and being with your own thoughts. It looks really weird over Skype or video chat.

Finally, it is important not to have any other applications or tabs open during your Skype interview and indeed that your phone is on silent. If you get distracted, the interviewer will notice. Also, if Youtube starts playing Kygo’s best summer hits, the interviewer will definitely notice. So avoid that awkward confusion and only have Skype and tabs relating to your interview open.

Act as you would in person

If you need a few seconds to gather your thoughts on that one, don’t worry, it is completely understandable. First of all, dress as you would going to the interview. No hoodies and jeans job – dress shirt and tie. It doesn’t matter that the interview is through Skype, dress exactly as you would going to an interview in-person. All the way down to the shoes.

Long-distance interviews are not easy to approach. You will never know when it is appropriate to speak and how loud to speak if the connection begins acting up. However, after sometime and indeed practice, you will feel a lot more confident and use the advantages of a long distance call to your benefit.